Tuesday 15th March 2011 ‘Poo count’ to measure success of dog mess project
A survey of doggie droppings, dubbed a ‘poo count’, will be carried
out in Anagach Woods in the Cairngorms National Park. Volunteers will
survey spots where dog fouling has previously been a problem to
measure the effectiveness of a new scheme to clean up the park. The
scheme will see dog walkers wearing a green wrist band to show they’ve
pledged to always clean up after their dogs. The ‘poo count’
volunteers will also carry spare bags to hand to dog walkers. The
Highland Council have now adopted the scheme which involves Anagach
Woods Trust, Highland Council Ranger Service and Cairngorms National
Park Authority. Highlands

Monday 7th March 2011 Mountain refuge to be restored
The Fords of Avon shelter in the Cairngorms National Park is to be
refurbished and improved for the first time since it was built 40
years ago. The mountain refuge was originally constructed by the
military and sits on a route between Glenmore and Braemar. The park
authority's planning committee has approved an application for the
re-build. Board member and Moray councillor Allan Wright said: "The
shelter lies on the historic Lairig and Laoigh walking route from
Glenmore to Braemar and I know from personal experience it can be an
essential refuge when it's been difficult or impossible to cross the
Avon. Walkers unable to find their way back over Cairngorm to the ski
area have also been found at the refuge." Highlands

Thursday 17th February 2011 Trip to the dentist for Highland polar bear
A poorly polar had to endure having a tooth pulled after workers at a
Scottish wildlife park realised she was suffering from severe
toothache. The 38-stone bear, called Walker, had a badly damaged
canine that had to be removed under sedation. 10 people were required
to lift her onto the operating table at Kincraig’s Highland Wildlife
Park in Scotland. The park's animal collection manager Douglas
Richardson said: "It's not as difficult for us as you might imagine.
But when you're dealing with something that big it's not so much
dentistry, more like carpentry." Highlands

Tuesday 15th February 2011 Nessie tug to be restored
A former ice-breaker tug whose wake was once mistaken for that of the
Loch Ness Monster is to be restored. The Scott II will cost around
£375,000 to restore, much less than the £750,000 it would cost without
the help of volunteers. The project is being led by former The Scott
II skipper James Clark and his son Dan. Mr Clark junior told the press
his reasons for wanting to restore the boat his father once skippered:
"Twenty minutes after the Scot II past her waves were still on the
loch and many people mistook that for the Loch Ness monster. From a
historical point of view, we have got to try and restore her. It would
be sad to see a part of Scottish history disappear when there is life
left in the old girl yet." Highlands

Thursday 6th January 2011 Rare heron once mentioned by Burns spotted
Bird-watchers at RSPB Scotland's Insh Marshes reserve in Strathspey
have sighted a rare heron. The bittern was spotted hunting for fish in
thawed gaps in the frozen water at the site. Alan Tissiman, of the
RSPB, said the bird has not been seen in Strathspey since 1992. Mr
Tissiman said the birds probably once bred in Scotland, up until about
1830. He added: "At one time they were quite common and acquired
Scottish names such as Jock o' the Mire, Bull o' the Bog and Bogle
bird. They are even mentioned in a poem by Robert Burns." Highlands

Friday 17th December 2010 Highlands host to natural “lost world”
A survey has dubbed a forest in the Highlands as a "lost world" of
rare and endangered spiders, ants and flies. The charity that owns the
woodland, the Forres-based Trees for Life, said surveys of the woods
on its 10,000-acre Dundreggan Estate in Glen Moriston had revealed a
range of invertebrates. The work discovered the strawberry spider,
azure hawker dragonfly, juniper shield bug and blood red slave making
ants. The charity purchased the estate for £1.6m in 2008, it is home
to some of the last stands of ancient Caledonian Forest. Highlands

Friday 10th December 2010 Highland habitat for at risk corn bunting
The at risk corn bunting has been enjoying farmland near Inverness
Airport, one of its last strongholds in the Highlands. Corn bunting
are an RSPB red list species, marking them as threatened. The RSPB
Scotland said that thanks to farmers backed with Scottish government
funding, corn bunting have access to plentiful supplies of food.
Farmers have been harvesting crops in a way that leaves grain
available for the birds while seed-rich weeds are left untouched.
Yellowhammer, tree sparrow and skylark have also benefited from the
adoption of more bird-friendly agriculture. Conservation Officer
Stuart Benn said: "Corn buntings were once a very common bird in the
Scottish countryside but in recent decades their population has
crashed as agricultural techniques have changed. Highlands

Tuesday 23rd November 2010 New visitor centre planned at Loch Ness
The design of the new Jacobite Discovery Project for a site at Brackla
on Loch Ness’s western shore has been revealed. It will use water
drawn from Loch Ness to heat and cool down the building as part of
efforts to make it eco-friendly. Robin Webster, partner at Cameron
Webster, said: "Water from the loch heats and cools the building
through a water-to-air heat pump. This uses less energy and, while
operated by electricity, has a substantially lower carbon footprint.
The high level of glazing allows the building to be naturally lit,
reducing the need for artificial light, and allows for maximum solar
gain on the south side of the building." Highlands

Thursday 16th September 2010 New town plans for Inverness given green light
Highland Council has granted outline planning permission for a major
development on Stratton Farm, east of Inverness. The £500m development
will see around 2,500 houses along with shops, restaurants and schools
built close to the A96 over the next 20 years. Permission was granted
despite objectors claiming it should not even have been considered
while a region-wide plan was still being discussed. Developers,
Inverness Estates, disagree saying the planned development would be a
major boost for the Scottish economy. The developers estimated more
than 2,000 jobs could be created. Councillors voted 38 to 10 to give
outline permission although 62 separate conditions were attached. Highlands

Thursday 9th September 2010 Eco-lodge water supply worries revealed
Council planning papers have revealed concerns Highland Council had
about the water supply for a proposed holiday ‘eco-lodge’ at
Dundonnell. The source originally planned for the development could
result in water shortages in summer months according to a warning from
environmental health officials. There was also a suggestion it could
affect supplies to other properties in the area. Escape Lodge Ltd, who
are planning to develop the site, has now suggested alternative water
supplies from deeper boreholes. The environmentally-friendly
development planned at Dundonnell would include a lodge, eight
thatched houses available for rent, a service building and access
roads. Highlands